Expected Reunion
by VivianaLockhart
Summary: Imagining myself as part of the producing/directing/writing team of the show. I know is not something very usual in this space when we travel through time and variety of views, but it's my take on how the reunion scenes should take place, basing my assumptions in my mother point of view, psychological approach (readings about children reactions to certain scenarios) and my common s


If I had to design the scene where Tony, Ziva and Talí would meet, in my opinion, Tony and Ziva would first meet, since Tony is now Tony, the Father; not the class clown, nor the joker. I think the first scene would be in Vance´s office, where Tony waits for Ziva to enter and hugs her to really corroborate that she is indeed Ziva and that she is fine. Then, that passionate kiss full of rage but at the same time full of love, a mixture of feelings difficult to handle in one simple moment.

After that first moment, panting for the lack of air, they both separate controlling their instincts, because the conversation that awaits them, however uncomfortable it may be, it is absolutely necessary.

After the first questions such as: _How have you been? Where were you? Why declare yourself dead? Why not ask for help?_ To then increase the seriousness of the conversation, with questions like: _Why did you hide Talí from me? Don't you know me? Didn't I have the right to know?_ By that time, tears begin to form and fall one by one in Ziva's face and then in Tony's, as the anguish in both of them increases the difficult questions appear. _How could you deliver her to strangers?_ To which Ziva would answer _"You are not a stranger", "I taught her who her father was"_.

Tony would begin to speak to her loudly, to claim all the moments of anguish that Talí lived for the last three years, wetting the bed, the tantrums, the nightmares, the times she did not want to let go of him for fear of being abandoned, again. Everything that would tell her, everything would be detailed. Only to hurt her? Or to think twice before leaving again? At this point, Tony no longer knows why he does it, only that not only her mental health is at stake, but also Tali's.

Finally, he asked one simple question: _"Are you staying for good?"_ With that question, she knows that if she doesn't give the right answer, she can lose everything.

Ultimately, she nods, but Tony warns her that he has made great progress with Talí in her psychological recovery, that after three years in which she suffered a lot, she is already within the normality of a five-year-old girl, and he has huge concern on to throw everything overboard if she's not sure she's staying this time.

Then Tony stares into Ziva's eyes and says, _"Think about that, I need a moment, I'll be right back"_ and leaves Leon Vance's office. Ziva places his hands on his head, Tony's words echoing in his ears. The NCIS Director's office seems to be a hostile place at the moment, however, minutes later a knock is heard at the door. The sound of the door opening catches Ziva by surprise, looking at the wall with her back to the door, when she turns she sees a five-year-old girl holding Tony's hand who stares at her, as if trying to decipher who the lady in front of them is. Ziva cannot restrain the tears already formed by seeing her daughter after three years, but the reality that hits her hard, it's evident, the girl cannot recognize her.

At the end, Ziva realizes the magnitude of what has happened. There are decisions that must be made but the consequences in matters of the heart are sometimes irreparable. This was what Tony was preventing her earlier, he wants Talí to not get hurt again.

Ziva excuses herself by turning around so that the girl does not see her crying, tears falling endlessly from her eyes tired of suffering so much, for herself, for him, for her beloved girl.

Tony notices the uncertainty, the desire to run away in a situation as delicate and difficult as the one Ziva is experiencing; and at the same time, poor Talí feels the tension in the environment, immediately takes hold of his father's leg, tries to place herself behind him as if looking for protection, an instinct she always has when she feels that something is not right in the environment around her. Fortunately, Ziva didn't see the girl's reluctance towards her or towards the situation, which is difficult to determine.

Tony tells Ziva _"with the first difficulty you are not going to run away, are you?"_ Ziva's eyes shows the sadness, the pain, drying them decides to face the tremendous mess formed after making the most sacrifice any mother could do, to leave her baby.

Talí is still behind his dad, looking occasionally at his father and then at the woman in front, not knowing what to do. Ziva decides to go slowly, not to scare the girl with tears and extreme reactions. She decides to sit on the sofa, trying to smile slightly towards Talí, to encourage her to approach. Ziva finds immensely difficult not to approach and hug her in Abby's style, but she knows that the whole process has been traumatic for Talí more than for the rest. Tony makes eye contact with Talí and invites her to approach the place where Ziva is, Tony takes a seat at the opposite end of the couch, with Talí in his lap.

At this point, Tony feels frustrated, on one hand he has a girl for whom he would give his life to make her happy, and; in the other hand, the woman he loves, to whom he could never have a negative feeling and with whom he wish to be with, the rest of her life, both loves without being able to establish a connection.

While Tony tries to convince Ziva that there's hope for them, that step by step things will improve, that she needs to be patient ... there is something that captures Tali's attention, the lady in front of her has something she likes, something that makes her curious, without anyone telling her to do anything, she starts to bring her little fingers close to that object, and takes in her hands, the necklace that Ziva has in her neck, touches it, looks at it from all sides, as if that object say something, then look up with an uncertainty on her face "Ima?" Ziva only manages to nod, fearing that such a magical moment will be broken anytime, she makes contact with Talí and draw her best smile, to which the girl instinctively returns with a smile repeating again and again _"Ima", "Ima", "Ima"_ while staring at Tony and Ziva one by one, repeating _"Ima"_ finally the girl has become convinced of who is in front of her and begins to head towards her mother's lap, asking to be carried by her and hugs her in such a tender, slow way, without a greater burden of emotions, just trying to comfort her mother for that moment, Ziva doesn't stop crying because of the emotion that invades her greatly, just keeps her daughter in her arms not willing to let her go again.

Tony cannot resist the urge of hugging his family finally reunited, he feels what happiness means by having his two girls finally in his arms. Although, the Hallmark moment was perfect, he needed to reduce tension with the only thing he dives in, _"Disney movie night?"_ In response to that, Talí just jumps off the couch with her little arms up as a sign of agreeing with the idea. Tony stares at Ziva and says _"David, I hope you take care of popcorn, soda and juice for little Tali, while I prepare the movie room we have at home"_.

The new three musketeers have a whole adventure ahead them, the road will be very long towards happiness but now the first of many steps has been taken to become a family.

**The End**


End file.
